Kerry's neck hurt, her hip hurt, and her back was quite sore. Kim was still fast asleep, her head on Kerry's lap. Kerry carefully took her phone from her bag and found a number. She hit the dial button and put in to her ear. A male voice answered. "David. You wanted your son's birthday off in three weeks? I need you to cover for me today." Kerry listened for a half a minute in silence. "Thank you David."

"Shouldn't'a done that for me."

Kerry made an 'mmm' sound. She found another number and dialed it. "Rachel, it's Kerry Weaver. I need you to get someone in for Kim, and tell DeRaad about it?" She paused, "Thanks Rachel."

Kerry hung up and tossed the phone onto the couch behind her. "You're gonna have to unpretzel me when we get off the floor."

Kim didn't move.

Kerry tried again, "Last night. You told Emily and Tyson."

Kerry barely heard Kim's, "Yes." There was a long pause, "I... I don't think Ty understood."

Kerry rubbed a circle on Kim's back. "Emily helped him understand after you left of that I have no doubt."

"How do you... you've never been a big sister."

"Because Emily is like you I think. You're not blood, but she's like you. It's what you did for your brothers and sisters when your brother Brendan died."

Kim turned over, but didn't sit up. She stared up at Kerry. "Why are you here?"

"Because you called me."

Kim closed her eyes. "I'm their guardian. In one fell swoop, I go from single to a mother of two."

"Curtis and Lois don't have family?"

Kim sighed, "Curtis doesn't anymore, mother and father died, he doesn't..." There was a long pause, "...didn't have siblings. That's why we were friends. I had three brothers who weren't too too much younger. He always wanted to be a big brother. When Brendan died, he took it just as badly as the rest of us. And then when he found out I was gay..." A hiccup of a sob escaped Kim and she put her hand over her mouth. "He hugged me and told me that he was so glad, that it meant I wouldn't screw up our friendship with romantic feelings."

A chuckle escaped Kerry's lips and Kim's eyes opened. "Sorry, and Lois' family?"

"Loco, totally crazy town."

A tiny voice made both women look up. "I'm hungry Aunt Kim..."

Kim sat up and held out her hands. "Hey kiddo, it's early."

"But, I'm hungry."

Kim stood, Tyson in her arms. "Okay... how 'bout waffles?"

Tyson nodded as he let rip a humongous yawn.

Kerry watched them go into the kitchen. She sat alone in the living room as she listened to Kim and Tyson bumping around in the kitchen.

There was a noise under it though. She frowned and listened harder. It was crying.

Kerry stood with a groan and made her way to the guest room. She gently pushed open the door. "Emily?"

The girl sniffled as she looked up and then started sobbing again.

Kerry slowly approached the bed and climbed on next to the girl. Emily wrapped her arms around Kerry and curled into her. "It's okay, it's okay hon. Let it all out Emily."

Kim stuck her head in the guest bedroom. "Kerry?"

Kerry put a finger to her lips. She slowly untangled herself and pulled the covers up and over Emily. Kim helped her off the bed and handed Kerry her crutch. They walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. Tyson was sprawled on the living room floor drawing, Kerry's box of crayons next to him.

"We saved some waffle mix for you if you're hungry."

Kerry nodded, "Please, yes, syrup too?"

"Yes..." Kim carefully poured the batter into the waffle maker. "I'm sorry for last night, you probably had..."

"Don't Kim."

Kim closed the top of the waffle maker and looked up, "Don't what?"

Kerry sat at the island in the kitchen. "Don't pretend like I was the only one you could call. TJ, Ellen, Simon, Morgan, your mother, father, hell, your gaggle of uncles, cousins, aunts... Don't pretend like it mattered what I was doing."

"Kerry."

Kerry stood and came over to Kim at the counter and gave her a push in the chest. "I came over because I chose to, I came over because you needed me, and I came over because..." Kerry trailed off, took a step back, and shook her head. "I came over because you're like... like the Boston Red Sox. Every year they break my heart, last October was the worst, but every year, middle of February, I'm back."

"Huh?"

Kerry shook her head, "I think my waffles are burning."

Kim whirled and flipped the top up. She winced as she grabbed the waffles with her bare fingers. The two waffles thumped onto the plate. "Oww..."

Kerry put one arm around Kim to support herself, she'd left her crutch at the table. With her other hand she guided Kim's hands under cold tap water. "They weren't burning that fast love."

Kim didn't even comment on the endearment. "I'm the older sister. I'm good, great at it, I don't burn the waffles just 'cause, because..."

"Your best friend in the world, basically another one of your brothers, died. You burned the waffles because you're human Kim."

They were silent as the water ran. Finally Kim turned it off, and removed her hands. She didn't move away from the sink or Kerry though. "Why are you here?"

"Because you needed me."

Kim put a hand over her eyes. "I shouldn't have called you."

"Why?"

Kim pulled away. "Because I love you Kerry. Because you came over even though you were probably with Sandy, or..."

Kerry cut Kim off, "How old am I?"

"Uh, 40, 40 and a half or so?"

"My job?"

Kim took the plate off the counter and dodged by Kerry and put it on the table. "Kerry, just state your po..."

"My job."

"You're the Chief of the ER at County General."

Kerry crossed her arms over her chest. "So, I've been making decisions for years, decades even. I haven't made any that I didn't mean to. Some wound up better than others, but every one I made... I... made."

Kim didn't haven't an answer for Kerry and after a minute of silence Kerry's phone rang. She looked at the call display. It was a County number, but it wasn't the ER, or the Admin offices. "Weaver."

"Doctor Weaver, you have to come to the hospital now."

"Randi, I'm busy, and it's my..."

"No." There was an annoyed silence on Randi's end, "This is important, for you. I don't ask you for stuff Doctor Weaver, it's not my thing, but you gotta get here. I'm upstairs with Doctor Leonard. Please."

With that Randi hung up, leaving Kerry staring at her phone. "That was weird... That was Randi, practically begging me to come to the hospital."

"The ER needs you?"

Kerry snapped closed the phone, "No, to a patient's room." She looked up at Kim. "Will you be okay?"

Kim pulled a hand through her hair, "Probably not."

"I will come back."

"No, no, go..."

Kerry cut Kim off, "Home? To what? An empty place, my cold kitchen, my music echoing through everything like... like I live at the north pole? Now, if you don't want me to come back..."

"No..." Kim eyes flicked over the room, looking for any excuse. "You have to eat your waffles. I can... warm 'em back up."

A smile came to Kerry's face unbidden. "That was... totally lame-o Kim. How about I'll make everyone lunch?" Kim opened her mouth and closed it. "You were going to say, 'No, that's okay.'" Kerry tilted her head to one side. "I've screwed us up enough for several lifetimes, but tell me, really, whose lunch would you rather eat, yours or mine?"

Kim finally nodded.

"I... Will... be back."

"He's your brother."

Kerry's mouth opened and closed like a dying fish. She closed her eyes and pulled her sanity back by force. "That's not possible." Randi handed Kerry test results. Kerry shook her head, "Do I want to know how you got this done, and what magic power you used to get it done so fast?"

"No."

Kerry looked down at the results. Then back up at Randi. "May I have his chart?"

Randi handed it to Kerry, who opened it. She shook her head, "Birth date, blood type, and now DNA. This isn't possible Randi. I..."

"You weren't born in the US, right?"

Kerry hung the chart back up. "Yes."

"Something could have happened?"

Kerry moved across the room and sank into the chair by the door, she put her head in her hands, "The universe is laughing its ass off at me."

Randi decided that a temporary change of subject was needed. "Were you with Courtney when I called?"

"We broke up."

"Oh, Sandy?"

Kerry shook her head, "No, Kim."

"Ah, sorry..."

Kerry looked up at the man in the bed. "She said she loves me."

"Well, duh."

Kerry gave Randi a look, "Excuse me?"

Randi shook her head, "Doctor Weaver, Kim's been dragging since you broke up with her, and you're tryin' to cover it up, but so are you." Randi paused, "It's sorta ironic, you two switching ways of escape. You doin' the ladies woman thing, she doing the work as life thing."

"Do you have a point?"

"Carl is grooming her to be the Psych head. Everyone thinks he wants to go back east."

Kerry frowned, "Robert won't go with it."

Randi looked both ways and then leaned forward, "Do you really think that there aren't enough people here who would kick Romano's ass if given half the chance."

"They'd be stupid, because he would take everyone down with him."

Randi shrugged and stood straight again, "Rumor is, they want you for his job."

Kim stood in her living room and watched the chaos. She'd been overrun by her two brothers, two sisters, nephews and nieces galore, not to mention her mother and father.

Her mother, Pam, was in charge of the whole thing. The kids had all scattered, some playing with each other, other with Tyson and Emily, while their various adults talked.

Kim turned away and stared out her window. She loved her family, and she knew that they had loved Curtis, but she couldn't stand talking to anyone anymore.

All the adults stopped talking at the same time. Kim turned. "Ker."

Kerry stood in the doorway facing off against Kim's part of the Legaspi clan. No one spoke, it was Tyson who broke the silence by running up to Kerry and nearly bowling her over with his hug. "Kerry, Kerry..."

She reached down and picked him up with one arm. "Hey Ty."

Pam came forward, "Kerry. It's good that you're here, have you met my sons and daughters?" Kerry shook her head as she let Pam lead her to the two blonde men. They could have been twins except for the difference in ages. Pam introduced the oldest as TJ, the firefighter like his father.

The next youngest man looked the most like Kim, he had more of a runner's build than his brother or father. Simon.

Next Pam introduced the woman standing between the brothers as Ellen, she had the blonde hair, but was a bit shorter. One of her brothers, Simon, gave her a shove in the side, "Yep, three girls, my Mom names the straight one Ellen..."

"Simon..." Pam glanced around. "I'm not sure where my wayward youngest daughter is. You'll know her because she's the only other one than me in the family who is normal size."

Kerry smiled. She blinked in surprise as Kim took Tyson from her and put him on the ground. Without a word she pulled Kerry back out the door. The blonde psychiatrist didn't speak until they were both on the sidewalk. "I have to get out, go somewhere, anywhere..."

"Not really what I had in mind."

Kerry smiled, "I know, but I think I need a dog."

Kim frowned, "So, we come to a dog park? We gonna steal one?"

"Research." They both sat on a bench. "Your family will be worried."

"They..." Kim shook her head, "I'm the oldest sister, I'm the psychiatrist. The one with all the answers."

"You don't want to fall apart in front of them." Kim nodded. "They'll understand."

Kim shook her head. "Look at me." Kerry looked at Kim with a confused look on her face. "See..." Kim shook her head and resumed watching the dogs. "Nothing. No judging, or feeling sorry for me. You don't expect miracles, and you don't expect me to have all the answers. Nearly every other person I've ever met does. Even Christy, sometimes Kate. My family always does. My Mom's the closest, a psychologist, but she's the Mom, she gets to shut it off when she goes home. My father, Morgan and TJ are firefighters, Ellen's a teacher, Simon's a mechanic. Not bad jobs, they're not stupid people, but I went to Med School, residency, and not just the body, but the brain, the mind..."

Kerry scootched over and put an arm around Kim's shoulders. "Kim, it's all in your head..." Kim opened her mouth, but Kerry wasn't done. "On the other hand, your relationship choices are stupid."

A laugh escaped Kim. "Ain't that the truth. That's where my family excels and I suck. TJ's been married to his childhood sweetheart Mary since he was eighteen. When he went traipsing around the world, a Marine. Five kids, three boys, two girls. Ellen, for seven years to Jonas Berg, two kids. Even Simon's been married for two years, to Laura, she survived one of the towers, they got married, moved back, they have a kid."

"And Morgan?"

Kim shook her head and tilted it back to stare up at the sky, as if it had the answers. "She's my hope."

"You'll get stable before your youngest sister does?"

Kim shrugged, "Something like that. I... I never thought I'd... I'd be a guardian before I found... someone."

Kerry smiled as a pug frolicked with his owner. "I, apparently, have a twin brother."

Silence.

"Seriously?"

Kerry chuckled, "I have no earthly idea how. Randi did a DNA test..." Kim looked over at Kerry with a raised eyebrow. "I don't know, and didn't ask. But we do seem to be related and his license says that we were born on the same day, same year."

"Wow, family. It's what you've wanted, right?"

Kerry nodded, "For year. Of course, this... Michael Leonard is in a coma."

Kim frowned, "The Doctor Mike Leonard?"

"Uh, I don't know. Why?"

"Surgeon. Up and comer. I think I read something in a journal by him." Kim bumped Kerry with her shoulder. "Guess the brilliance runs in the family huh?"

Kerry shook her head and sat back. They both went silent, watching the dogs and their owners.

"A mutt I think. Some dog no one else wants."

Kim wrapped both arms around Kerry. "You're not a mutt Ker."

Kerry glanced up at Kim. "Why thank you..."

Kim stumbled and started to pull away, "Uh, I mean..."

Kerry smiled to herself, "Oh shush and hold me while your brain quiets down."

"Do you think we should call someone?"

All the Legaspis had gone home except for Pam and Tom. It was late, dark out. Tyson and Emily were quietly eating dinner in the dining room while Tom and Pam worried in the kitchen.

"She didn't seem like herself, and Kerry."

"Pam. They're both grown women. Don't worry."

Both looked up as Tyson came into the kitchen carrying his plate. "I'm done. Can I have desert?"

Pam looked down at the brown haired boy. "I don't think we have any here."

A pout appeared on Tyson's face. "Nothing?"

A voice came from the doorway. "How 'bout donuts?"

This even got Emily to look up from her dinner in the other room. Tyson's eyes got large, "Boston Crème?"

Kerry came up from behind Kim. "A boy after my own heart."

"Kerry..." He ran over and whacked into Kerry's legs.

"Hey Ty. Let's go let your sister pick out one too."

Tyson frowned, "Not Boston Crème."

Kerry took the box from Kim and guided Tyson into the dining room. "That's between the two of you. I like the Vanilla filled too."

Kim blinked rapidly and turned slowly to watch Kerry. Her mother brought her back around. "Are you alright Kimmy?"

"Not really Mom, no, but I'm... dealing."

Tom looked over his daughter's shoulder. "You two were gone for quite a while."

"She wants a dog..." Kim retreated into the dining room and grabbed herself a donut.

Tom turned to Pam. "She wants a dog? Is that... code...?"